exam

The next morning felt strangely peaceful.

Izuku sat at the kitchen table with a cup of tea between his hands while Dabi leaned against the counter and Shigaraki scrolled through his phone.

For the first time since the mall, Izuku didn't feel like he was being watched.

He felt... comfortable.

Almost.

Shigaraki eventually looked up.

"Midoriya."

Izuku glanced at him.

"Yeah?"

"Are you still planning to take the Hero Academy entrance exam?"

Izuku's fingers tightened around his cup.

The question had been sitting in the back of his mind ever since he'd been brought here.

The Hero Academy had recently changed its admission system.

Students could only take the entrance examination after turning twenty-one.

The reasoning was simple: by that age, applicants were expected to be more mature, physically capable, and prepared to make difficult decisions that came with being a professional hero.

Izuku had turned twenty-one recently.

And the exam was coming soon.

Dabi looked at him.

"You don't have to."

Izuku frowned.

"I know."

"You could choose another career."

"I know."

Shigaraki watched him carefully.

"So?"

Izuku looked down at his hands.

For years, becoming a hero had been his dream.

It wasn't simply about wearing a costume or becoming famous.

He wanted to help people.

He wanted to be someone who arrived when everyone else was afraid.

He looked up.

"I'm taking it."

Shigaraki raised an eyebrow.

"Even after everything that's happened?"

"Especially after everything that's happened."

Dabi folded his arms.

"Why?"

Izuku smiled faintly.

"Because being scared doesn't mean I should give up."

Shigaraki stared at him.

Then he gave a small shrug.

"Your choice."

Dabi smiled.

"Guess we'll have a future hero living with us."

Izuku laughed.

"Don't say it like that."

---

Three Months Later

The three months passed surprisingly quickly.

Izuku had become accustomed to life around Shigaraki and Dabi.

They had become accustomed to him too.

Breakfast together became normal.

Arguing over what movie to watch became normal.

Dabi teasing Izuku became normal.

Shigaraki pretending he wasn't listening whenever Izuku talked about hero theory became normal.

Even the red threads no longer felt strange.

They were simply part of their lives.

Izuku had also completed his entrance examination.

Now came the hardest part.

Waiting.

The three of them sat in the living room.

Izuku's laptop was open on the table.

The results email was supposed to arrive that afternoon.

Dabi glanced at the clock.

"Still nothing?"

Izuku shook his head.

"Not yet."

Shigaraki sat beside him.

"You've been checking your email every thirty seconds."

"I have not."

"You have."

Dabi laughed.

"He definitely has."

Izuku crossed his arms.

"I can't help being nervous."

Shigaraki looked at him.

"You studied for months."

"I know."

"You trained."

"I know."

"You'll pass."

Izuku smiled.

"Thanks."

A notification suddenly appeared.

New Email — Hero Academy Admissions

Everyone froze.

Dabi leaned forward.

"Open it."

Izuku stared at the screen.

His hand hovered over the mouse.

"What if I failed?"

Shigaraki answered immediately.

"Then you failed."

Izuku looked at him.

"That's supposed to make me feel better?"

"No."

Dabi chuckled.

"He's terrible at encouragement."

Shigaraki ignored him.

"Whatever the result is, it doesn't change who you are."

Izuku took a breath.

Then clicked.

The email opened.

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

Then Izuku's eyes moved down the page.

His face slowly fell.

Dabi noticed.

"What?"

Izuku didn't answer.

Shigaraki leaned closer.

The result was displayed clearly.

Entrance Examination Result

Score: 293 / 500

Passing Score: 300 / 500

Result: FAILED

Seven points.

Only seven.

Izuku stared at the screen.

He had missed it by seven points.

His fingers slowly moved away from the mouse.

"I..."

His voice broke.

"I failed."

Dabi's expression changed.

Shigaraki stared at the number.

Seven points below the line.

Izuku swallowed.

"I was so close."

Nobody answered immediately.

Izuku closed the laptop.

"I should've done better."

Dabi stepped closer.

"Hey."

"I should have studied more."

"Listen—"

"I was only seven points away."

His voice became quieter.

"I wanted this for so long."

Shigaraki watched him carefully.

Izuku's eyes were fixed on the floor.

For months, he had believed that passing the exam would prove he belonged in the world of heroes.

Now the screen had told him otherwise.

Dabi crouched beside him.

"Seven points doesn't erase everything you did."

Izuku shook his head.

"But I failed."

"Yes."

Dabi's voice remained calm.

"You failed one exam."

Shigaraki finally spoke.

"Not your dream."

Izuku looked up.

Shigaraki's expression was serious.

"Those are different things."

The red threads around their fingers glowed faintly.

Izuku stared at them.

His eyes filled with tears, but he smiled weakly.

"You're both really bad at comforting people."

Dabi smiled.

"Yeah."

Shigaraki nodded.

"But we're learning."

And for the first time since opening the email, Izuku laughed.

It wasn't much.

But it was enough.

Because 293 wasn't the end of his story.

It was simply the first failure he'd have to learn from.

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